EmergencyUseRequest

MEMORANDUM

TO: Danielle Jones, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB

FR: Annie Goode, Strategic Planning, Budget and Accountability, USFS

Through: Levi Harrell, OBPA

Date: August 4, 2021

Subject: Request for Emergency Use of a New Form

The 2018 Farm Bill expanded the ability for tribes to enter into agreements with the Forest Service to manage programs implementing the Tribal Forest Protection Act (“638 agreements,” pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (PL93-638). The proposed information collection approves the use of a form – FS-1500-100, “Face Sheet” – that includes information on the agreement, participants and the project.

We request emergency authorization to use this form. The Forest Service and the Intertribal Timber Council hosted a workshop regarding utilization of 638 agreements during April, and we anticipate an increase in the rate of project applications. Current program status includes the following:

• 2 638 agreements have been executed

• 5 additional proposals have been approved and are nearly ready for execution.

• 2 full developed project submissions are anticipated in the near term

• 25 tribal/Forest Service partnerships noted in the recent workshop

The Forest Service is proposing to renew and revise IC 0596-0217 to add the “Face Sheet,” and to revise numerous other grants and agreement forms. The 60-day notice was published the Federal Register on September 14, 2020; public notice and comment period ended on November 13, 2020.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/14/2020-20195/information-collection-federal-and-non-federal-financial-assistance-instruments. (85 FR 56575-56576). The 30-day notice was published on May 7, 2021 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/07/2021-09690/submission-for-omb-review-comment-request (86 FR 24582).

Until this ICR is revised, there is no other form available to facilitate applications for “638 agreement,” because existing forms are program specific. It is critical that the federal government support these projects, which require the use of the proposed form.

Thanks so much for your consideration.

AEG